Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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Question 339: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding the back to school allowance in respect of persons on family income supplement (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36001/12]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The back to school clothing and footwear allowance (BSCFA) scheme provides a one-off payment to eligible families to assist with the extra costs when their children start school each autumn. The Government has provided €63.7 million for the scheme for 2012.

A person may qualify for payment of BSCFA in respect of a qualified child or children if they are in receipt of a social welfare payment or Health Service Executive payment, or participating in an approved employment scheme or attending a recognised education and training course and have household income at or below certain set levels.

Automatic payments issued this week to in excess of 115,000 families in respect of 205,125 children, which included approximately 3,000 families in receipt of family income supplement. In cases where an automatic payment did not issue to customers in receipt of family income supplement, an assessment of earnings from employment must be completed in order to determine entitlement to BSCFA. A manual application providing this information is required in these cases.

I can assure the Deputy that every effort will be made to process manual applications promptly.